Affeton
Affeton is a City in Elondria , notable for being both the closest to the Karosian border and the most recent to swear to the Elondrian royalty. The city proper is surroudned by immense greystone walls, earning it the nickname of 'The Slatefort'. Surrounding Area Ever since the start of the Godless War, Affeton has been the northernmost location within Elondria to house any notable population. The surrounding villages are largely in ruin outside of a handful of minor settlements which have begun to rebuild in the years since the war's end. As such, much of that original rural populace has migrated to the slums outside the walls of Affeton proper. This shantytown has been steadily moving towards more permanent stone structures over the years and now houses a modest population. Similar to the buildings, the farmland surrounding Affeton has also been recovering steadily and is now usable to the point that the city no longer relies on trade to keep its people fed. Beyond the several thousand acres of farmland lies mostly sparse forest which has been steadily reclaiming the villages lost to the war. History Affeton is an old city, long thought impregnable due to its immense, ancient walls. For hundreds of years the city was entirely self-governed, with the Hightower family declaring themselves Lords of the city-state. The growing nation of Elondria spent over a hundred years attempting to persuade the Hightowers to bend the knee to their King, but it wasn't until the rumblings of war began in Karos that Affeton officially came under Elondrian rule. When King Oleg Vayne of Karos began amassing troops at the borders in late 1081PD, Lord Maegar Hightower offered King Elgas Thaenos III his fealty in exchange for safe refuge for his people. As such, many of the residents of surrounding villages such as Ryedale and Farfield were safely extracted to cities deeper within the country, where many of them remain to this day. Though supported by the full might of the Elondrian military, when war finally broke out in 1092PD it was Affeton which took the brunt of the Karosian assault, and continued to overlook the two entrenched armies for the next fifty years. During the course of the war, there were many failed assaults on the city, with even Karosian siege weapons proving unable to break through the walls of the fabled Slatefort. The HIghtowers personally served on the frontlines of the conflict, with Maegar Hightower succumbing to an infection as a result of an arrow wound in 1104PD and being succeeded by his son Estin. Estin Hightower led several successful assaults on the Karosian encampments, with only the enemy's superior numbers keeping them from breaking entirely. In 1142PD, only months before the war would end as a result of an enforced treaty, Oleg's successor King Dakrus Vayne ordered a full assault on Affeton. Though the walls held, the northern and eastern gates were destroyed, causing the fighting to spill onto the streets. Though the city was never fully taken, the entire north side came under Karosian control, and Duke Estin Hightower was slain along with most of his senior officers. The remainder of the city guard - led by Estin's young son Davil and reinforced by Elondrian Magisters who entered the city through portals - held the remainder of the city until the orders finally arrived for the Karosian army to retreat. Ruling Class Present-day Affeton is ruled by Duke Davil Hightower, a young man who lacks public support due to living in the shadows set by his esteemed father and grandfather. Unlike his ancestors, Davil operates as leader of a ruling council who help the young Duke make important decisions. This council is made up of: *'Magister Jeremiah Calvic' - a softly spoken Half-Elf from the Magisterium, sent as an adviser by King Jarett. As the primary lawmaker and local juror of the area, he always appears stressed and overworked. *'Abrus Mendolian' - Renowned scholar and head of the Mendolian Archive. Though presumed dead due to not having been seen outside of his archive for over two decades, the ancient Human still holds a seat on the council, and is represented by Galienne Shireland, an argumentative middle-aged Human from the archive. *'Commander Grev Dyne' - Battle-hardened Guard Captain who rose through the ranks at the end of the war when most of his superiors were killed in battle. Also commands the remains of the Affeton military who were consumed into the Guard upon the wars end. *'Kremm Rockbeard' - Extravagant Dwarvern man who owns the Crowns Rest Inn as well as several smaller shops throughout Affeton and Fayon. Came to Affeton to help finance the rebuilding of the city after the war, and is now the most powerful merchant in the area. *'Zara Trant' - Muscular bodyguard to the Duke, Trant carries a quarter Orcish blood which provides her powerful physique and slightly sickly skin tone. Though she has no official duties beside ensuring Duke Hightower's safety, she commands a lot of respect even amongst the council and often oversees a lot of the 'dirty work' around the city. Notable Landmarks *'The High Tower ' - The immense stone tower where the Duke makes his home and holds court. *'The Mendolian Archive '- A sprawling members-only library in the centre of the city where Abrus Mendolian and his followers make their home and pursue their studies. *'The Centre Square '- A large, open area in the middle of the city, spread around a towering statue of Duke Estin Hightower. The base of the statue is engraved with the names of every Affeton resident to die during the Godless War. The Square itself is used for public functions and speeches, and merchants are forbidden from peddling their wares here. *'The Market Square '- To the east of the city is a second open space, slightly smaller than the centre square and permanently clustered with market tents and stalls. *'The Four Towers '- To the north, north-east, south and west of the city are four towers taller than even the walls of Affeton, which look out over the surrounding area. These towers are always manned by both the city guard and one trainee Magister apiece, so messages can be sent directly to Magister Jeremiah Calvic prior to the arrival of any visitors. *'''The Dustroad - '''Though all of the areas roads have been thoroughly weathered, the well-travelled path from Affeton to Treille has been worn down a good eight feet into the ground due to the extreme softness of the rock in the area. The steep rock faces to either side of the broad highway provide excellent cover for bandits, meaning any merchant making the journey will need to hire ample protection.